Challenge and Complain

O

Ollygon

Well-known member
In earlier years I used to hate complaining about goods and services. I felt embarrassed about taking things back to shops, and was always apologetic. If the store manager etc refused to refund or exchange I'd back off and leave with a red face.

However, Martin Lewis changed all that with his campaign on consumer rights. I now relish taking or sending something back. Retailers attitudes have changed, but there are still some who refuse to be "reasonable", and I'm then in my element. I've found that politeness and humour as well as persistence often does the trick.

However, there's then the formal complaints procedure, and ultimately the Ombudsman.

My most satisfying "win" is a recent one with Parking Eye. They sent me a parking notice of £70 for parking in a non designated area on a car park. They generously offered to reduce the fine to £40 if I settled within 14 days.

No Way!

I went back to the car park to check, and as I suspected the parking signs weren't clear. I negotiated their complaints procedure, and when they wouldn't budge, I complained to the Ombudsman. I'm pleased to say that this was successful, so Parking Eye won't be getting a penny out of me. Their Business Plan relies on people not challenging them, so the more people who do so, the better.

In some cases I've exhausted the possibilities, and got nothing for my efforts, but in others I've had successes for friends and relatives with insurance claims, benefit claims, and payday loans.

Martin Lewis's website, and a number of other sites have standard letters you can download, and instructions on how to pursue complaints. I have no special skills- just a determination to not be fobbed off.

Challenge the Buggers.
 
poolseasider said:
Who pays Parking eye you just throw the letter in the bin they then threaten you with court action and you throw that letter in the bin worked for me.👍
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Bad advice. They now take miscreants to court, and unless you have a good argument, they win
 
My family would say i am a professional complainer and have taken on many institutions over the years to the extent that friends often ask my to complain on their behalf. My favourite victory was taking on my sons school who had reported me to the council for an unauthorised absence by him despite filling in the correct documentation prior to the absence weeks before. My niece who also attended the same school had the same time off but was not reported despite only informing the school the day before the absence, but her dad was a rozzer ...! Anyway i had a great deal of communication with the head of year who reported me and he had a very arrogant approach and in the end he stated i am allowed to appeal to the council but nobody he had reported had ever won their appeal. I proceeded to appeal to the council and gave them all the facts of the case and the fine was immediately rescinded. As a way to celebrate we decided to go out for tea at a local pub, on arrival the head of year happened to be at the bar laughing with some colleagues so i introduced myself and commented how he had said no one had ever beaten one of his enforcements. He responded yes that was correct and i had the great pleasure of informing him that his 100 % record was no more and my totally unnecessary fine had been rescinded, the look on his face was worth more than the money saved.
 
Well done. Poor service is unacceptable anywhere. I’ve got a complaint against a large bank with the ombudsman at the moment. The banks lack of interest in putting things right was breathtaking.
 
Got a parking fine in the middle of Manchester last year, when I had a ticket displayed in the window. It went back and forth with emails and me having to send the ticket and photo proof before as a ‘gesture of goodwill’ they rescinded it. That boiled my piss even more so sent a letter of complaint higher up with what had gone on. I got an apology.
Wouldn’t say I relish complaining at all, but if something happens now and I know I’m right, I don’t let it go like I would have done when I was younger.
Middle-aged syndrome 👍
 
Must admit I’m not good at this. I have to way up my stress levels against value of the complaint.
I get very frustrated dealing with poor customer service so often give up early or before even starting.

I did put in a good case for a car purchase refund last year though, because I had a good case and it was a lot of money to me.

I would never send food back in a restaurant though unless I had been practically poisoned.

However, years ago I made a delivery take away firm come back and deliver me one missing popadom 😆

I was a feisty bugger back then. Not so now. Prefer to chill.
 
Adams Kebab said:
Not at all, but you said you “relish taking or sending something back”… looking for problems, not for me.

I prefer it to work when I get it rather than bragging I’m in “my element” complaining.

It’s a very weird psyche 🤪
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I prefer things to work too, or to have good service, and on most cases there are no problems, but if there are I won't be fobbed off anymore, and I don't want anyone else to be fobbed off either.

If you think I'm bragging then I wonder about you!

The post was intended to give information and I hope it will do some good.
 
My Grandad was all for challenging what he thought to be unfair decisions. Whether it be the Police trying to take his driving license off him, or parking fines in Lancaster, complaints to the council over matters of planning applications. He always won. Only problem, it becomes all consuming and I’m a believer of trouble finding trouble. It’s not good karma or stress, and stress will affect your health. If you’re generally more positive, then luck tends to follow.
 
Shootz said:
My family would say i am a professional complainer and have taken on many institutions over the years to the extent that friends often ask my to complain on their behalf. My favourite victory was taking on my sons school who had reported me to the council for an unauthorised absence by him despite filling in the correct documentation prior to the absence weeks before. My niece who also attended the same school had the same time off but was not reported despite only informing the school the day before the absence, but her dad was a rozzer ...! Anyway i had a great deal of communication with the head of year who reported me and he had a very arrogant approach and in the end he stated i am allowed to appeal to the council but nobody he had reported had ever won their appeal. I proceeded to appeal to the council and gave them all the facts of the case and the fine was immediately rescinded. As a way to celebrate we decided to go out for tea at a local pub, on arrival the head of year happened to be at the bar laughing with some colleagues so i introduced myself and commented how he had said no one had ever beaten one of his enforcements. He responded yes that was correct and i had the great pleasure of informing him that his 100 % record was no more and my totally unnecessary fine had been rescinded, the look on his face was worth more than the money saved.
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Congratulations.
 
Yes we should definitely complain about bad service although I have found that the ombudsman usually sticks up for the other side. But we should praise good and exceptional service as well.
 
Ollygon said:
In earlier years I used to hate complaining about goods and services. I felt embarrassed about taking things back to shops, and was always apologetic. If the store manager etc refused to refund or exchange I'd back off and leave with a red face.

However, Martin Lewis changed all that with his campaign on consumer rights. I now relish taking or sending something back. Retailers attitudes have changed, but there are still some who refuse to be "reasonable", and I'm then in my element. I've found that politeness and humour as well as persistence often does the trick.

However, there's then the formal complaints procedure, and ultimately the Ombudsman.

My most satisfying "win" is a recent one with Parking Eye. They sent me a parking notice of £70 for parking in a non designated area on a car park. They generously offered to reduce the fine to £40 if I settled within 14 days.

No Way!

I went back to the car park to check, and as I suspected the parking signs weren't clear. I negotiated their complaints procedure, and when they wouldn't budge, I complained to the Ombudsman. I'm pleased to say that this was successful, so Parking Eye won't be getting a penny out of me. Their Business Plan relies on people not challenging them, so the more people who do so, the better.

In some cases I've exhausted the possibilities, and got nothing for my efforts, but in others I've had successes for friends and relatives with insurance claims, benefit claims, and payday loans.

Martin Lewis's website, and a number of other sites have standard letters you can download, and instructions on how to pursue complaints. I have no special skills- just a determination to not be fobbed off.

Challenge the Buggers.
Click to expand...
Never took you as a person that complains about anything in life. 🤣
 
Should I have the need to complain, I find using the following phrase delightful to use.

Be it a face to face, or a phone convo with a customer service person, I stay polite whilst I regale them with my issues, and if this makes no headway, I then simply ask....
'Do you get paid enough to take a bollocking? If not, get me someone else who does."

(At this point, I generally withdraw back under my stone, and apologise for having the audacity to complain, and my wife explains my annoyance down to me having tourettes!)
 
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